Story:Star Trek: Archer (novel)/The Front/Prologue
The Archer is attacked by two Dominion warships, the warships fires at the Intrepid-class vessel hitting her shields as the Archer returns fire at the two warships destroying one of them as the other one fires at the ship again hitting the shields. On the bridge a huge shower of sparks erupt from the ceiling as coolant vents as another shower of sparks erupt as Captain Ronston is thrown from her chair as the MSD erupts as Commander Mason is thrown from the larger screen and then klaxon is blaring as Mason gets up and sees Ronston down. Captain! Commander Mason says as he looks at her. He helps her up and goes to help some crewmen. Report? Captain Ronston asked as she looks at Ensing Marani. She goes to her console and reports. It looks like the Dominion have retreated, Captain Ensign Marani says as she looks at her console and then at Captain Ronston as a shower of sparks erupts from the back console. Mason walks down to the steps. We must have hurt them Commander Mason says as he goes to one console. Ensign Erikson reports. Not as bad as they hurt us, all engines are offline Ensign Erikson says as he reports to Captain Ronston. Then Lieutenant Chen reports. Captain, shields are down as are all weapons arrays Lieutenant Chen reports as the coolant is spewing from the ceiling and sparks erupt from her back console. Mason turns to Ronston. We'd better hope they don't come back, we're sitting ducks Commander Mason says as he looks at her. Ronston taps her combadge. Ronston to engineering, what's your status? Captain Ronston asked as she spoke in the com. In engineering the alarms are blaring as sparks erupt from the ceiling as crewmen are running around the Engine room making repairs or helping others as Commander Larson gives the full damage report. We're in bad shape Captain, we had to shut down the warp engines to avoid a breach, the impulse engines are gone too, I think I can give you thrusters but I've got a lot of casualties down here I've got to tend to first Commander Larson says as she looks around the engine room. Then Ensign Nelson calls out to her. Commander it's Crewmen Ellis he's hurt pretty bad Ensign Nelson says as he looks at her. Another shower of sparks erupt from the damaged console. No Commander Larson says as she goes to the wounded officer. He explains what happened. His console exploded, caught him right in the face Ensign Nelson says as he looks at her. The down crewmen is barely moving. We've got to get him to Sickbay right away. Larson to Sickbay Commander Larson says as she tapped her combadge. In sickbay the place is overwhelmed with wounded crewmen. Doctor Williams tapped his combadge as he moves to a wounded officer. I hope this is urgent, Commander. We have our hands full at the moment Commander Williams says as he's going from bio-bed to bio-bed treating the wounded. I'm setting up an emergency transport. One of my people is severely burned Commander Larson says over the com. Williams goes to a wounded officer and scans her. Very well, we'll do what we can Doctor Williams says as he's looking at the wounded crewmen. On the bridge smoke is everywhere from the damage as coolant is still venting from the ceiling as Ensign Marani reports. More damage reports coming in, Captain. There's a hull breach on deck four, forcefields in place, repair crews on the way Ensign Marani says as she's looking at her console and then at Captain Ronston. Then Commander Mason reports. We've had casualties on all decks, no fatalities so far Commander Mason says as he looks at her. Ensign Erikson walks towards Captain Ronston. Captain, request permission to give Larson a hand in Engineering. Maybe I can help get propulsion up and running Ensign Erikson says as he looks at her. She looks at him. Good Idea, go get started Ensign Captain Ronston says as she looks at him. He leaves as Lieutenant Chen reports. Captain, my readings indicate the navigational deflector has sustained massive damage. It will be necessary to repair it before we can achieve more than thruster power Lieutenant Chen says as she looks at her. Ronston looks at her. Get repair crews on it. Ensign Marani, I want a complete analysis of all the damage we've sustained Captain Ronston says as she looks at her. She nods. Yes, ma'am Ensign Marani says as she looks at her and gets started on gathering the scans of the damage the ship sustained. In Sickbay at the surgical bay Doctor Williams looks at the console. He's not responding. Seventy five milligrams of inpedrazine. That might help stimulate his cardiac functions, but he's sustained so much injury it may be too late Doctor Williams says as he looks at one of the nurses. Then the alarm goes off. He's not responding to the inpedrazine Doctor we're losing him Nurse Lee says as she looks at him. He looks at her, then he flat-lined. Cortical stimulator. I'm sorry, he was too badly injured Doctor Williams says as he looks at Larson. She's sad about what happened to him. He saved me while the USS Galaxy was on patrol along the Romulan Neutral Zone Commander Larson says as she looks at him. In her ready room Captain Ronston is looking out the windows of her ready room, when the doors chimed and she turns to them. Come Captain Ronston says as she looks at them. The doors open and Commander Mason walks into the ready room with a disappointing look on his face. We lost Crewmen Ellis, Doctor Williams did everything he could to save his life Commander Mason says as he looks at her. She hangs her head down and then looks at him. I'm so sorry Adam I knew you two where best friends, you'll arrange a memorial service Captain Ronston says as she looks at him. He nods then the com activates. Bridge to Captain Ronston Lieutenant Chen says over the com. She tapped her combadge. Ronston here go ahead Captain Ronston says as she looks at Mason. Ma'am you've got an incoming hail from Starfleet Command it's Admiral Ross Lieutenant Chen says over the com. She nods at Commander Mason he leaves the ready room. Patch it to my ready room Chen Captain Ronston says as she goes to her desk and sits in the chair behind the desk and activates the desktop monitor. She smiles at the sight of Admiral Ross. Admiral this is a pleasant surprise, what can I do for you sir Captain Ronston says as she looks at the Desktop monitor. Captain we've got a problem in a sector that is vital to the Alliance, are you familiar with sector 213? Admiral Ross asked on the screen. Ronston thinks. Yeah, there's a shipyard and a Starbase Captain Ronston says as she looks at the monitor. Ross continues. They've been under repeated Dominion assault, and they're in need of reinforcements, five ships have been sent to reinforce them and your ship is the fifth one Admiral Ross says on the viewer. Ronston looks at the desktop monitor. Admiral we were just attacked by two Jem'Hadar fighters and we've taken heavy damage and sustained heavy casualties I lost four officers to the Dominion, and Commander Larson doesn't know how long it will take to get warp drive back on-line Captain Ronston says as she looks at the monitor. Ross interlaces his fingers. Whenever your warp drive is repaired Captain I want the Archer there with the eighth fleet Admiral Ross says on the monitor. Ronston nods. Aye, Admiral Captain Ronston says as she looks at the desktop monitor. Ross ended the hail. As Ronston thinks about what happened.